Releasable bracket

ABSTRACT

A bracket for securing a cantilever load at selected elevations on a vertical standard. In the clamped position the load acts to clamp the bracket to the standard. This is enhanced by a spring loaded arm which also exerts a force on the standard and provides additional clamping security when the assembly is subjected to random mechanical shocks. A leaf spring clip retains the arm in the unlocked position for accomplishing vertical adjustment of the bracket on the standard.

United States Patent 1,369,719 2/1921 Stenvall lnventor Stoyan P. Michailov c/o Mikelofl' Bros., 4514 San Fernando Road, Glendale, Calif. 91204 Appl. No. 832,745 Filed June 12, 1969 Patented Jan. 26, 1971 RELEASABLE BRACKET 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 248/230, 240/81, 248/125 Int. Cl F2ls 1/12 Field of Search 248/327, 295, 245, 246, 230, 124, 125, 410, 287, 297; 108/148; 240/81, 73

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,458,000 6/1923 Powell et al. 248/124 1,915,725 6/1933 Fisher 248/124X 2,774,562 12/1956 Henry 248/125 2,800,371 7/1957 Quercetti 248/295X FORElGN PATENTS 412,748 4/1925 Germany 248/295 Primary Examiner-Edward C. Allen Assistant Examiner-J. Franklin Foss Attorney-Harry R. Lubcke ABSTRACT: A bracket for securing a cantilever load at selected elevations on a vertical standard. In the clamped position the load acts to clamp the bracket to the standard. This is enhanced by a spring loaded arm which also exerts a force on the standard and provides additional clamping security when the assembly is subjected to random mechanical shocks. A leaf spring clip retains the arm in the unlocked position for accomplishing vertical adjustment of the bracket on the standard.

PATENTEUJANZBIQ?! 3,558,089

INVENTOR.

STOYAN P. MICHAILOV AGENT BY mwu RELEASABLE BRACKET BACKGROUND or THEINVENTION This invention pertains to a bracket releasably securable to an essentially vertical member, or standard.

For custom industrial lighting or drying, for adjustable shelves in office, shop or truck, or for similar adjustable apparatus a need for a releasable, clampable bracket ex sts. Since the whole device may be moved or accidentally struck the clamping action should be secure. On the other hand, the clamp should be quickly releasable for adjustment of the location of the bracket along the vertical member. The art has found it difficult to satisfy these conflicting requirements.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION Besides the self-clamping action of a cantilever load upon a bracket a hinged arm is provided. A spring urges this arm against the vertical member upon which the bracket is attached. A spring clip holds the arm away from the vertical member while vertical adjustment of the bracket along the vertical member is performed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the releasable bracket in the clamped position upon a vertical member.

FIG. 2 is the same in the released position.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the releasable bracket in the clamped position upon a vertical member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 numeral 1 generally identifies the releasable bracket. It has a normally essentially vertical part 2 and a normally essentially horizontal part 3. Typically, the angle between these two parts is not 90, but about 100, so that that the slight sag o. the self-clamping action upon a substantially vertical standard will be such as to provide an essential vertical position for part 2. 7

Slot 4 (FIG. 3) is provided near the free end of angle part 3, and vertical member 5 passes through this slot. The slot may have a length (left and right in FIG. 3) greater than the diameter of the vertical member to allow bracket l to be canted from the horizontal. Frequently, two brackets and two vertical members are employed, as disclosed in my copending Pat. ap plication, Ser. No. 657,382, filed Jul. 31, 1967, now Pat. No. 3,509,334, for Adjustable Lamp Stand. In the present FIGS., trifaceted element 6, which may be a heat lamp reflector trough, typically extends between two brackets and requires releasable vertical adjustment according to this invention. With the greater length of slot 4 mentioned, element 6 can be canted away from thehorizontal for custom work, as for drying paint upon a sloping automobile fender. Spring 7 is attached to the lower part of trough 6, or any equivalent thereof.

Arm 8 is preferably a U-shaped element formed of round rod. It is rotatively held to part 3 of bracket 1 by hearing 9. The bearing is fastened to part 3 by a plurality of rivets or equivalent fastenings 10, say four, and it has a length approximately the same as the inside of the base of the U of arm 8, thereby to hold the arm with only limited longitudinal play. Bearing 9 is positioned near the comer of the angle of bracket 1 on lower part 3 and on the under side, thus allowing arm 8 to hang below that part of the bracket.

Crossbar l2 bridges the U of arm 8.near the extremities thereof and typically is welded in place. As seen in FIG. 1 the angle between the flat side of the crossbar and arm 8 is considerable, say 60, so that the flat side of the crossbar will lay along the surface of vertical member 5 when the arm is in the clamped position, as in FIG. 1. I

Crossrod 14 is similarly welded in place approximately half way along each arm of the U of arm 8. One end of spring 7 is hooked around the crossrod. The otherend of the spring is attached to obtuse bracket 15, which in turn is fastened to element 6, as by rivet 163 Spring 7 is typically a coiled tension spring, proportioned to exert a force of a number of pounds upon am 8 when the sme ls in the locked position (FIG. 1).

Despite the tension exerted by spring 7, arm 8 can be raised manually, such as when an adjustment of bracket 1 is to be made along vertical member 5. A person could hold arm 8 in this position, but it is superior to provide leaf spring 17, having a reentrant hook shape. The extremity 18 thereof rests upon the outer edge of angle part 3 when the holding function is being performed (see FIG. 2). Upon raising arm 8, spring I? slips into place automatically atop part 3. To return arm 8 to the clamping position (FIG. I), one pulls leaf spring 17 away from the edge of part 3 and the extremity 18 of the spring clears the same to allow a downward excursion of arm 8.

Spring 17 is attached to crossbar 12 by plural rivets 19. Similarly, trough 6 is attached to the vertical part 2 of the bracket by rivets 20, normally four in number. Bracket I and arm 8 are so proportioned that they do not deflect under load.

The releasable bracket of this invention may be fabricated in a wide range of sizes and materials. However, typical proportions and construction are as follows.

Support 5 may be of three-fourths inches outside diameter tubing; bracket 1 of 4 inches width, with a 4% inches high vertical part 2 and a 3% inches long horizontal part 3, being made of one-eighth inch thick by 4 inches wide steel; arm 8 and crossrod 14 approximately 3 inches in width and formed of one-fourth inches diameter steel rod; bearing 9 pressed to shape from one-sixteenth inch thick steel and having a length (FIG. 3) of 2% inches, with a transverse dimension of l inch; crossbar 12 a 2% inches length of three-fourths inches by three-sixteenth inches steel strip; coil spring 7 formed of onesixteenth inch diameter spring wire having approximately fourteen convolutions of one-half inch outside diameter; leaf spring 17 formed of 1 inch wide by one thirty-second inches thick spring steel with an overall length of 2 inches after being formed into the hook shape; and element 6 of not less than one-sixteenth inch thick sheet steel of any extent required by the nature of the cantilever load.

Iclaim:

l. A releasable bracket l) for use with a substantially vertical member (5), comprising:

a. an angle bracket (2,3), having a slot (4) to receive said vertical member, and having a cantilever load (6);

b. a hinged arm (8) having an opening to receive said vertical member and being pivotally attached to said angle bracket away from said slot adjacent to said load; and

c. a spring (7) urging said hinged arm toward said load while being in frictional contact with said vertical member, whereby said hinged arm secures said releasable bracket to said vertical member save upon manual disengagement of said hinged arm from said vertical member.

2. The releasable bracket of claim 1 which additionally includes a leaf spring (17) to hold said hinged arm (8) away from said vertical member (5) during vertical adjustment of said bracket along said vertical member.

3. The releasable bracket of claim I which additionally includes a crossbar (12) fastened to said hinged arm (8) to bear against said vertical member (5 4. The releasable bracket of claim 1 which additionally includes a crossrod (l4) fastened to said hinged arm (8) to receive an end of said spring (7) for attachment thereof to said hinged arm.

5. The releasable bracket of claim 1 in which the angle between the essentially vertical part (2) and the essentially horizontal part (3) of said angle bracket is greater than 

1. A releasable bracket (1) for use with a substantially vertical member (5), comprising: a. an angle bracket (2,3), having a slot (4) to receive said vertical member, and having a cantilever load (6); b. a hinged arm (8) having an opening to receive said vertical member and being pivotally attached to said angle bracket away from said slot adjacent to said load; and c. a spring (7) urging said hinged arm toward said load while being in frictional contact with said vertical member, whereby said hinged arm secures said releasable bracket to said vertical member save upon manual disengagement of said hinged arm from said vertical member.
 2. The releasable bracket of claim 1 which additionally includes a leaf spring (17) to hold said hinged arm (8) away from said vertical member (5) during vertical adjustment of said bracket along said vertical member.
 3. The releasable bracket of claim 1 which additionally includes a crossbar (12) fastened to said hinged arm (8) to bear against said vertical member (5).
 4. The releasable bracket of claim 1 which additionally includes a crossrod (14) fastened to said hinged arm (8) to receive an end of said spring (7) for attachment thereof to said hinged arm.
 5. The releasable bracket of claim 1 in which the angle between the essentially vertical part (2) and the essentially horizontal part (3) of said angle bracket is greater than 90*. 